Method and apparatus for printing materials



Sept. 21 1926. 1,600,487

w. F. R OEHL EN METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRINTING- MATERIALS Filed Sept, 15, 1924 INVENTOR.

31 y/ %z.'sATT0RNEY WEZZL'mZQZmwm Patented Sept. 21, 1926.

WILLIAM F. ROEHLEN, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

METHOD AND APPARATUS Application filed September This invention relates to methods and apparatus for printing materials and, more particularly, to the variety adapted, for "example, for printing patterns and designs on fabric, leather, and the like, one object of the invention being to provide an improved method and apparatus of this nature of a simple and practical character in use and adapted to produce a more perfect and permanent product. Another object is the provision of such'a method andapparatus particularly adapted for .printing with a medi- 'um, such, for example, as an anilin color, requiring the application of heat in printing to develop and fix the color in the material. Another object is the provision of a method and apparatus of the above nature especially suitable for use in conjunction with the production of goifering or embossed effects in'the material. Still a further object is the provision of an apparatus and method combining the above advantages with a continuous character of operation capable of accomplishing th work in a rapid and economioal manner.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and; combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a central sectional elevation of an apparatus or press embodying the present invention; 1

Figure 2 is a side view of roller means employed in the apparatus and Figure 3 is a detailed view of a portion of the material produced.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several'views indicate the samerpartsa The present lllVEDtlOIIlS 1n the nature of an improvement on that disclosed in my 00- pending application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 613,147, filed January 17 1923, for apparatus for and method of printing materials.

the application of a relatively hightempera- WVhile my said prior "invention has various advantages, the present improve.

ture directly to the face side of the material and to the surface portions to which the printing medium has been applied so that the latter may bemore effectively heated fordeveloping and completing the impression as well as for the production of embossing effects in conjunction with the same. Y

Referring more particularly to the drawings, for a description of one form of apparatus for carrying out my said method, there is shown at 5 one of a pair of spaced side standards rising from a base 6 and connected by tie rods 7 to form the main frame for the apparatus. These side standards have fixed thereon at the forward side of the machine bearing brackets 8 in which are a guided upper and lower pairs of shoes 12 and 13, respectively. Each of the pair of oppositely spaced lower shoes 13 carries a bearing bracket 14 in which is rotatably supported a journal 15 at the corresponding end FFICE.

of a printing roller 16. Each shoe 13 is supported from below by the engagement of a boss 17 thereon with the upper end of a" spindle 18 in threaded engagement with a stationary supporting arm 19 projecting forwardly from the frame. It is apparent,

that by rotating each spindle 18, as by means of a hand wheel 20 thereon, the corresponding 7 shoe 13 and an end of the printing roller may 7 be raised or lowered as required to. maintain the desired parallelism and pressure between the printing roller and the platen roller 10.

Printing roller 16 may have'its impression surface formed and supplied with a suitable printing medium in various ways. In the present instance, and for certain. kindsof work, it is preferred to form the matter to be printed in intaglio on the roller, surface and to supply'such intaglio portions with the printing medium. More specifically,

roller 16 has the elements of the pattern or.

the matter to be printed engraved. in intaglio thereon as represented in the drawings'iin an illustrative way by flags 21 and triangles22. V

Devices are provided for applying suitable printing medium to the printing roller comprising preferably a container 23 supported in any suitable manner as by being bolted to and supported by an angle bar 24' carried at its ends on the side standards of the frame. The printing roller dips at its bottom into the printing medium in contain-' er 28, it being understood that the necessary vertical adjustment of the printing roller is comparatively small so that such adjustment does not interfere with the operation of this supply means. The latter however could of course be carried by the shoes 13, if desired, to move with the roller. At 25 is a doctor for removing the medium from the relief portions of the roller and-leaving it in the intaglio portions representing the design. This doctor is carried as shown by a bracket 26 on the container.

Means are desired, under some conditions of operation, for cooling the printing roller, for which purpose thelatter is preferably of. the hollow metal construction indicated in the drawings and its journals 15 are also of hollow or tubular construction in communi cation with the roller interior. Piping 27 is connected in any suitable manner with the ends of'these journals, as well understood in the art, and with a source of supply of a cooling fluid such as water or brine for maintaining a continuous circulation of the latter through the roller to keep it at a relatively low temperature.

The heating and embossing roller is shown at 28. abovethe platen roller 10 and its journals 29 are rotatably supported in bearing brackets 30.carriedby theupper pair of adjustable shoes 12. Each of the latter is supported by therotatable engagement of a boss 31 thereon with the lower endof a spindle 32 threadedly engaged with a stationary supporting arm 33 I projecting forwardly from the top of each of the frame standards.

By rotating the spindles, as by means of hand wheels 34 thereon, the ends of roller 28 may be adjusted to secure the desired parallelism with and pressure against the top of platen roller 10. 7

Heating roller 28 is preferably engraved in intaglio withthe matter to be printed to correspond with the printing roller 16. The printing and heating rollers of the same circumference, or a multiplexcircumference one of the other and platen roller 101is preferably of the same or a multiple circumference relative to rollers 16 and 28, having in'the present instance a circumference twice that-of either of these rollers. Such relative proportions are for the purpose of maintaining registry between the intaglio portions of roller 28 and the portions of the. material to which printing medium has been applied by the roller 16, as well as between the printing and heating rollers and the platen rolleras useful in some forms of are preferably terial to which theprintingmedium is ap- I plied by the printing rollers is. brought. 'di-.

rectly against the surface. ofthe heatingroll-er so that the heat of the latter is; applied to the portions ofthe material carrying the printing medium for more effectivelyheating the latter, as well as embossing the same in conjunction with the: printing where. such a result is desired. Heat is applied-to. roller 28 by the use of hollow. journals-as, described in connection. with the printing roller, such journals being connected as bymeans of piping 39 with a suitable/source of steam,.hot water or other heating fluid.

Platen'roller 1O may be constructed ofsteel with a smooth surfacebut it is; preferred. for best results to employ a. form of construction comprising a surface of rela tively soft material tending 'to; become formed by the rollers 16 and 28 in a, manner. complementary to the engraving of, the latter through the pressure. appliedthereby, or,

in other words withia maleformation corresponding to the female character of rollers.

16 and 18. Thus roller 10-;may b-e constructed of papier mach or, as ,shownin thedraw: i

ings, it may be constructed of. steel and surfaced with yielding material; such, for example, as one or more plies. or wrappingsof fabric. One advantage of thisilatter construction is that plies of thin-,wrapping material or cloth maybe addedto or, removed from the roller surface in operation to 1n,-. crease or diminish its circumference fonthe purpose of correcting and maintaining preelse registry between the impresslons. ofthe printing roller 16"and thecorresPondmgengraving of the heating and embossing roller;

28. As will be understood, by. those skilled in the art, the. web of the material tobe printed may vary fromvtime to time in; its

texture andcharacteristics with the-result; of, a-tendency to disturb such registryandj'thisdifliculty has been satisfactorily overcome in this manner which'at the same time affords the desired plasticity.

a Figure. 3 illustrates 1 1n a'fgeneral way a portion of the material LOto be treated while at 11 is a portion of the area to which thei printing mediumbaslbeen applied. Assthe,

material passes aroundv roller 28 heat is applied to it by the latter directly adjacent and over the portions bearing the printing medium so that the latter may be effectively heated to any desired temperature. By applying sufficient pressure by roller 28, furthermore, a goffering or embossing result, particularly with pile fabric, may be obtained in combination with the printing to afford highly ornamental results, as fully described in my said prior application.

The present method and apparatus have furthermore been found advantageous for use with a printing medium requiring heat treatment to secure thorough impregnation and also to produce desired changes in the medium as, for example, the development of colors in anilin substances. It is apparent from the above description that such a printing medium may be applied to the material in substantially cold condition and subsequently heated to a relatively high temperature by the application of heat clirectly to the portions of the material to which the medium has been applied for the purpose of producing such developing changes in the medium as may be desired to insure a complete and permanent impression. 7

The operation of the apparatus for carrying out the method as well as the steps of the latter have been fully explained in connection with the above description and it is apparent that the invention provides a method and apparatus of a comparatively simple nature adapted to operate in a continuous, rapid and efficient manner to accomplish the desired results.

I claim as my invention:

1. In apparatus of the character described, the. combination of a pair of engraved rollers provided with means for maintaining the relative registry therebetween, means for pressing the sameside of a material to be printed against said rollers in succession, devices for applying a printing medium to the first of said rollers and means for heating the second roller, to first print said material and then heatthe printed surface to complete the impression.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a roller provided with means for applying a printing medium thereto to represent matter to be printed, a second roller having the matter to be printed formed in intaglio in its surface and having means for heating the same, and means for pressing a material to be printed against said rollers in succession with said printed matter thereon in registry with the intaglio portions of said second roller.

3. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a roller provided with means for applying a printing medium thereto to represent matter to be printed, a second roller having the matter to be printed formed in intaglio in its surface and having .eans for heating the same, and means for pressing the same side of a material to be printed against said rollers in succession with said printed matter thereon in registry with the intaglio portions of said second roller.

4. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a roller having matter to be printed formed in intaglio on its surface and provided with means for applying a printing medium to said intaglio portions, a second roller having a similarly formed surface and provided with means for heating the same, and means for pressing the same side of a material to be printed against said rollers in succession with said printed matter thereon in registry with said intaglio portions of said second roller.

5. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a roller having matter to be printed engraved thereon, devices for applying a printing medium to said roller, a second roller similarly engraved and provided with heating means, and roller means for pressing the same side of a material to be printed against said rollers in succession with the matter printed thereon by said first roller in registry with the engraving of the same on said second roller.

6. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a roller provided with means for applying a printing medium thereto to represent matter to be printed, an embossing roller having the matter to be printed engraved thereon and provided with heating means, roller platen means cooperating with said printing and embossing rollers comprising a surface of relatively soft material tending to conform to the engraved surface of said embossing roller, and

operating means for rotating said rollers and roller platen means to continuously and progressively press the material to be printed against said'rollers in succession with the matter printed on the material in registry with the engraving of the same on said embossing roller.

7. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a roller having matter to be printed engraved in intaglio thereon, devices for applying a printing medium to said intaglio portions, an embossing roller similarly engraved and provided with heating means, roller platen means cooperating with said rollers having a surface of relatively soft material tending to be formed in complementary character by the engraving of said rollers, and operating means for r0 tating said rollers and roller platen means to continuously and progressively effect a registered printing and embossing of the same side of the material.

8. The method of printing a material consisting in continuously and successively impressing the same first with a rotary print- 7 ing roller supplied Witha printing medium and subsequently With a rotary heatingroller engraved With thein-atter to be printed and maintaining registry between the matter printed on said material and the engraving on said roller.

9. The method of printing a material consisting in continuously and successively impressing thesarnefirst With a roller formed With inked intaglio portions representing thevmatter to'be printed and subsequently With a heating and embossing roller similar ly formed and maintaining registry between the matterprinted on the material and the intaglio portions of said heating roller.

XVILLIAM F. ROEI-ILEN. 

